Originally, my plan was to visit Pocheon's Herb Island, which was supposed to be an hour bus ride from Soyosan Station (the last subway station on line 1), out to the countryside. However, the provincial public transportation run on an entirely different schedule, a very slow schedule. The waiting time between each bus was around 40 minutes and after checking the bus app on my phone, I noticed that the bus that was supposed to take me from the Herb Island to Deulmusae was not running that day.
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| The view outside on the way to Soyosan |
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| Soyosan Station (Line 1) |
So, I abandoned that plan and rode the subway again for another 30 minutes back to Euijeongbu Station. From the station, it took another 40 minutes on a bus and I finally arrived in the middle of nowhere.
Since it was a provincial bus, all of the announcements on the bus were in Korean, so you need to pay careful attention when the stops are announced or go with someone who has a really good listening comprehension.
The bus stop is called Hana-ul and the bus will stop in front of Ti Amo Drive-In Hotel (whatever drive-in means). From the bus stop, you need to cross the street and keep walking until you see the sign on your left (before the castle).
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| Hana-ul Bus Stop |
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| TiAmo Drive-In Hotel |
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| Turn left before the castle |
As soon as you turn left, you'll know you're in the right place when you see a steep hill with penis statues lining both side of the road. Go up the steep hill and a giant penis statue with little ones will be immediate visible in front of the restaurant.
The restaurant itself is made entirely of wood, which gives it a more "cabin in the woods" kind of atmosphere. I noticed that a lot of cars were parked there and most of the customers were Korean ahjumma (older aunts) and ahjussi (older uncles). I guess the younger generation doesn't find this place appealing?
So, what's the story behind the penis shrine?
When the restaurant was originally built in 1996, it was intended to be just another ordinary restaurant for the weary travelers and the penis statues were nowhere to be seen. However, after a visit from a monk who noticed an overwhelming presence of the cold feminine energy (yin) in the area, the owner decided to balance out the yin with, of course, yang. So, he decided to commissioned artists in the area to help him add more yang by erecting statues of penises and creating penis-shaped dishes for the customers.
With the yin and yang balance restored, tourists flock to the restaurant to take pictures of this unique eatery out in the woods. The restaurant featured hundreds of penises in all shapes, sizes, and form. From the dishes, decorations, to the penis water fountain, Deulmusae is truly a sight to behold.
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| Penis Garden |
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| Penis World Map |
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| Penis Vases |
The food and beverages were on the pricier side, but I guess customers pay for the view and atmosphere. For the ladies, expect to be drinking out of a penis cup and dining out of penis plate, while the gentlemen will wine and dine out of vagina-shaped cups and plates.
I ordered the Deulmusae's Assorted Plate with Hamburg steak, Donkaseu, and Fish Cutlet with Tartar Sauce. Although the portion was on the smaller side, the taste was pretty good. The hostess came back later and told me that I could get a free dessert of tea or coffee. I chose the Jasmine tea which was served in a penis tea cup and I also got a free penis keychain from the restaurant (oh the perks of being a foreigner).
P.S. The hostess/cashier lady spoke English really well and the menu had English as well.
At the end of the meal, I went to the register to pay for my meal and noticed a lovely basket of penis bread and since they were only 1,000 won each, I took one for snack later (it had a red bean filling).
Finally, I arrived back at the bus stop and ended my journey for the weekend with a heavy load (LOL) while trying to hide my penis bread, which I didn't put in my backpack because I didn't want to smush it inside.
More pics from the restaurant:
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| Jasmine Tea and Keychain |
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| Penis Door Handle |
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| Penis Bread |
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